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If faith can move mountains, faith in yourself can make you
achieve amazing things. It helps you resist the temptation of
eating extra candies and have the will of going out to jog despite
the weather.
On the contrary, when self-esteem is low, everything becomes
more difficult. Not to mention going out to exercise or preparing a
healthy meal; the first impulse is to open the refrigerator and get
a scoop of ice cream.

“Low self-esteem seems to be directly related to a distorted
body image, neglecting physical activity, eating disorders,
substance abuse, abusive relationships, and interpersonal
problems,” explained Robert W. Reasoner, author of “Self-Esteem and
Youth: What Research Has To Say About It.”
Insecurity, moodiness, and depression; negative body image,
feeling awkward in public places, absence of social and personal
life, low levels of adaptation, and unreal aspirations are some of
the characteristics of people with low self-esteem.

5 Steps to Feel BetterAccording to the Mayo Clinic, the techniques of cognitive
behavioral therapy can help change our way of thinking. These
techniques are based on the idea that our feelings and behaviors
are the result of our way of thinking about ourselves and our
lives.

1. Identify the conditions or problematic situations that
negatively affect your self-esteem, such as experiencing panic
before a business presentation, getting angry frequently, or always
expecting the worst.
2. Become aware of your own opinions and thoughts. Once
you’ve identified the problem, pay attention to your thoughts about
those situations. This includes your internal dialogue and
interpretation of what these problems mean. Your thoughts and
beliefs can be positive, negative or neutral, rational, or
rational.
3. Accurately identify negative or inappropriate thoughts.
Become aware of when your thoughts become negative and watch your
reactions.
a. Physical responses. May include muscle tension, back pain,
tachycardia, stomach problems, sweating, or sleep problems.
b. Emotional responses. Can result in difficulty to
concentrate, depression, anger, sadness, nervousness, guilt, or
worry.
c. Behavioral responses. Can be expressed by eating when you
have no appetite, avoiding responsibilities, working more than
necessary, spending too much time alone, obsessing about things, or
blaming others for one’s own problems.
4. Modify the negative or inappropriate thought. Ask yourself
if your way of thinking is consistent with the facts and logic or
if there can be another explanation for the situation. Phrases like
“if I don’t do this, I’m a total failure” or “I made a mistake with
that report, now everyone will think I’m not competent,” only
damage your own value.
5. Change your thoughts and beliefs. Once you’ve identified
the negative or inadequate thought, replace it for more accurate
thoughts or beliefs. This will help you build a better self-esteem.
Some strategies that may help:

• Use optimistic statements. Treat yourself with kindness and
encouragement. Pessimism can be a self-prophecy. If you made a
presentation you didn’t like, assume the situation and feel sure
about handling it.
• Forgive yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes don’t
reflect what you are; they’re isolated situations. Think: “I made
this mistake, but it doesn’t mean I’m a bad person.”
• Avoid statements including the words: “I should.” If your
conversation is full of these words, you might be demanding too
much of yourself.
• Focus on the positive side of things. Think of the
beautiful moments of life. Think about the good things that have
happened to you recently.
• Encourage yourself. Give yourself credit for making
positive changes. Next time something “negative” happens at work,
think: “I did a good job at the presentation. It may have not been
perfect, but my colleagues told me it was good.”

Many self-help book authors explain that each person is
unique and unrepeatable; implying that in the whole world there is
only one “you.” There is only one person as unique and special as
you are.

Source: “Self-Esteem and Youth: What Research Has To Say
About It” and The Mayo Clinic.